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Jewish student ends lawsuit against Harvard over alleged antisemitism

Jewish student ends lawsuit against Harvard over alleged antisemitism

India Today16-05-2025
A Jewish student, Alexander Kestenbaum, who sued Harvard University for not taking action against antisemitism on campus, has officially ended his lawsuit. On Thursday, Kestenbaum and the university filed a joint stipulation of dismissal in a Boston federal court. This dismissal is 'with prejudice,' meaning Kestenbaum cannot file the same lawsuit again.It is not clear whether the two sides reached a settlement. Lawyers for both parties did not comment. advertisementKestenbaum, also known by his Hebrew name "Shabbos," had been a part of a legal campaign by the students against antisemitism. Other such lawsuits were settled earlier this year, but Kestenbaum decided to continue his legal challenge until now.
In January, Harvard pledged to improve protection for Jewish students amid escalating concerns of antisemitism on campus. The university made the promises as it dealt with lawsuits from organisations like Jewish Americans for Fairness in Education and the Brandeis Centre for Human Rights Under Law. Kestenbaum did not sign the deal at the time.Kestenbaum was in his second year at Harvard Divinity School when the campus grew tense with the protests over Gaza. He gained notice almost immediately as a conservative commentator voicing opinions in the news media. He even appeared at a student roundtable in Washington, DC, to discuss the spike in antisemitism on campuses.advertisementHe spoke at the Republican National Convention as part of a Republican-led effort to fight antisemitism in US colleges.Harvard is one of the chief targets, and US President Donald Trump's administration has frozen or terminated more than $2.6 billion of the university's federal grants and contracts in recent weeks.The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based school is suing the Trump administration over grant cutoffs, mainly in medical sciences, calling them an unconstitutional attempt to curtail academic freedom and free speech.Another Ivy League school, Columbia University, is another prime White House target in its campaign against antisemitism.Trending Reel
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BEST credit society served notices ahead of polls
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BEST credit society served notices ahead of polls

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Border patrol conducts immigration operation outside Gov. Newsom press conference in downtown Los Angeles
Border patrol conducts immigration operation outside Gov. Newsom press conference in downtown Los Angeles

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Border patrol conducts immigration operation outside Gov. Newsom press conference in downtown Los Angeles

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Border patrol conducts immigration operation outside Gov. Newsom press conference in downtown Los Angeles
Border patrol conducts immigration operation outside Gov. Newsom press conference in downtown Los Angeles

Time of India

time35 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Border patrol conducts immigration operation outside Gov. Newsom press conference in downtown Los Angeles

Governor Gavin Newsom spoke in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday at the Japanese American National Museum. He was promoting his plan to change California's congressional districts in response to redistricting by Republican-controlled Texas. About 100 federal agents gathered just outside in the Little Tokyo area, likely for an immigration operation. Newsom's office posted on social media in a style similar to Donald Trump, 'BORDER PATROL HAS SHOWED UP AT OUR BIG BEAUTIFUL PRESS CONFERENCE! WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED!', as reported by KTLA 5. Federal agents cause stir in downtown LA The Los Angeles Police Department warned of traffic disruptions due to the large federal presence. LA Mayor Karen Bass said the agents' presence 'was no coincidence' and called it 'unbelievably disrespectful' and 'provocative'. Bass added, 'They decided they were going to come and thumb their nose in front of the governor's face…They are talking about disorder in Los Angeles, and they are the source of the disorder in Los Angeles right now'. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 15 Most Beautiful Women in the World Undo DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the Border Patrol patrols all areas of Los Angeles every day with over 40 teams to keep LA safe, and the operation was not about targeting Newsom. McLaughlin said, 'Our law enforcement operations are about enforcing the law—not about Gavin Newsom', as per the KTLA 5 report. Border patrol arrests strawberry vendor Federal agents detained at least one person during the operation in downtown Los Angeles. The arrested person was a strawberry vendor outside the Democracy Center in Little Tokyo. Border Patrol Sector Commander Gregory K. Bovino said the man was in the country illegally, as mentioned by NBC Los Angeles. Live Events Video showed armed and masked U.S. Border Patrol agents walked the man with his hands restrained behind his back toward federal buildings, including a detention center. Newsom mentioned the Border Patrol operation during his speech, saying: 'Right outside, at this exact moment, dozens and dozens of ice agents…Donald Trump, you think it's coincidental? Donald Trump's minions, (border czar) Tom Homan, decided this was a location they'd advance' ALSO READ: Nike's Phil Knight shocks nation with $2 billion donation to Oregon Cancer Center — largest ever Newsom added, 'Donald Trump, you have poked the bear. We will punch back'. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff also spoke at the event inside the museum while dozens of agents were outside. Padilla, who was forcibly removed earlier this year from a DHS news conference, said outside: 'Trump, it's all about spectacle…Guess what? California is not going to be intimidated', as stated by the report. In addition to Newsom's speech, a midday ceremony was held nearby at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center honoring three Japanese American brothers who served in World War II while their family was in forced internment under a WWII-era executive order. Mayor Bass emphasized again: 'There is no way this was a coincidence…This is a complete provocation. This has nothing to do with safety. This is the exact opposite of keeping our city safe'. Bovino responded about the Border Patrol location, saying: 'Breaking the law is not coincidental…Breaking the law is breaking the law', as mentioned by reports. Immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles and Southern California have been happening regularly since early June. These operations are part of President Trump's campaign promise to carry out a mass deportation plan. The administration focuses on arrests of undocumented immigrants with violent crime convictions, but also includes asylum seekers, visa overstays, and migrants waiting for immigration court, as per the report by NBC Los Angeles. Through August 1, nearly 56,600 migrants were taken into ICE detention since the start of Trump's second those detained, 29% had criminal convictions, 24.7% had pending criminal charges, 46.8% were 'other immigration violators,' and 11.9% were fast-tracked for deportation, as reported by NBC News. FAQs Q1. Why were federal agents outside Gov. Newsom's press conference in LA? About 100 federal agents were conducting an immigration enforcement operation in Little Tokyo, not targeting Newsom personally. Q2. Who was arrested during the Border Patrol operation outside Newsom's event? A strawberry vendor was detained for being in the U.S. illegally, according to Border Patrol officials.

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